Box



N-. 0. KENNIKER AND F. A. FRITZE, Jn.

BOX.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 17, I916.

Patented May 11, 1920.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

N 0. KENNIKIER AND F. A. FRIT E, JR.

BOX.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. I71 19|6- 1,340,119. Pa n May 11,1920- 2 SHEETSSHEET 2- 2Q 23 2 "W 3 1 2,9 Q 28 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

NICHOLAS 0. KENNIKER AND FERDINAND A. FRITZE, JR., OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNORS TO DUBABLE BOX 00., OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

BOX.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 11, 1920.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, NICHOLAS O. KEN- NIKER and FERDINAND A. Fnlrzn, Jr., both citizens of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Boxes, of which the following is a description.

Our invention belongs to that general class of boxes known as knock-down boxes, that is, one in which the various parts may be readily disconnected or detached one from the other and the entire box caused to assume a limited space, either for shipping or storing, and in which the box may be readily assembled without skilled labor whenever it is desired to use it.

The object of our invention is to produce a box of the kind described at a comparatively low cost, that will embody all the essential advantages required in a construction of this kind.

To this end our invention consists in the novel construction, arrangement and combination of parts herein shown and described, and more particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, wherein like reference characters indicate like or corresponding parts,

Figure 1 is a plan view of our improved box with parts broken away to more clearly show the construction;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken substan tially on line 2-2 of Fig.1;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken substantially on line 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a partial elevation;

Fig. 5 is a section taken substantially on line 55 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a sectional view illustrating one form of locking device for the cover of the box;

Fig. 7 and Fig. 8 is asectionon line 8-8 of Fig. 7.

In the drawings, 1 illustrates the cover of the box provided with transverse cleatsv 2, 3v and 4. The body of the cover of the box, as clearly illustrated in Fig. 3, is designed to set within the sides and ends. of the box and below the top edges thereof. 5 and 6 indicate the front and rear sides of the box, while 7 and 8' indicate the ends thereof. 9 indicat s the bottomo t e ox, whi ikeis a detail view of a modification,

wise fits up within the sides and ends, and with the top serves to brace those parts in their normal position as indicated. The bottom is provided with cleats 10, 11 and 12.

Suitable locking means are provided for the ends of the sides and ends of the box, whereby they may be detachably but firmly locked together. In the preferred form shown these locking means comprise cooperating wire members of suitable size and character formed to detachably connect one with the other, the cofiperating parts being firmly attached to the proximate ends of the sides and ends of the box. This is clearly illustrated in the lower left hand corner of Fig; l, in which 13 represents the cleat on the front 5 of the box, and 15 the cleat on the end 8 thereof. 17 is a wire loop, as stated, the free ends of which pass through the cleat 15, as indicated, to theinterior of the end 8, and is there bent over or clenched as at 18. This loop is in form substantially similar to the loop illustrated in Fig. 4, with the exception that it is not provided with the staples there shown, which will be described hereafter. 19 represents the looped end. 20 represents the cooperating hook member on. the wire 21, the end of which is likewise passed through the cleat 13 and the side 5 and is then clenched on the interior thereof at 22. Thus the wire extending outside of the cleats, as it does in each case, serves not only to form detachable engaging means for the meeting parts, but also has a strapping effect to firmly lock the parts together.

Referring more particularly to Figs. 1 and 2: 23 is an independent cleat formed to extend transversely across the rear side of the top of the box and to be firmly engaged with the ends thereof. In the form shown a binding rod or lock 24, preferably seated within a groove or bed formed in the surface of the cleat, as indicated, extends to the end of the cleat and is there at each end bent downward as indicated at 25 (Fig. 2), with the free ends bent out as at 26 and firmly seated in the apertures formed in the sides 7 and 8.

of the box for that purpose. This cleat may be readily positioned in the manner set forth inassembling and setting up the box. Fig. 3 illustrates the cleat 23 in position. The cleat 2 on the cover is set back from the end thereof a suitable distance to permit the free end of the cover as at 27 to be slipped under the cleat 23, as there indicated, and be firmly retained in such position thereby. The forward edge of the cover near the center of the cleat 4, as indicated in Figs. 3 and 6, is provided with a wire or metal locking member 28 extending between the cleat 4 and the cover 1, as indicated, with its end bent up as at 29. The other end of the part 28 terminates in a closed ring 30, or equivalent construction, which extends beyond the cleat on the forward side of the box. 31 is a coiiperating wire member, which passes through the front 5-and is bent upward or clenched as at 32 inside the box. The free end of the part 31 terminates in a ring 32, and when the box is properly assembled, aseal wire 33 may be passed through the two rings and twisted as indicated, and any preferred form of seal 34 attached thereto to prevent tampering with the box. As shown in Fig. 6, but slight modification is indicated. As here shown, the free end of the connecting member 31 is threaded through the ring or loop 30 and bent backward upon itself with a seal 35 serving to connect the bent end of the body of the part 31 and prevent tampering with the lock.

The bottom of the box may be secured in position in any preferred manner. As illustrated, particularly in Figs. 2 and 3, the cleat 11 has seated between it and the bottom 9 a longitudinally extending rod 36, which at its ends is bent upward substantially in the same manner as the rod 24 heretofore described in locking the cleat 23, in position with the free ends bent as at 3'7 and engaging the sides of the box. In a direction transverse to this locking means, as illustrated also in Figs. 2 and 3, locking pins 38 are arranged to extend through the cleats 10 and 12 and into and preferably through the cleats 39 carried on the front and rear sides of the box, and if desired, through the same, as indicated, the end terminating in the front and rear sides 5 and 6. These may be distributed at such points as may be desired, as shown in Fig. 2 at the points 40. The bottom is thus firmly retained in position between the sides and ends and with the top also similarly situated serves to firmly brace the sides and ends of the box in their normal position. The cleats on the cover at their ends, rest on the edges of the side of the the box, and thus prevent crushing the cover in stacking boxes on one another.

lVe have described heretofore our im proved locking means for the meeting ends of the sidesand ends of the box, in which the 'wire loops or eyes pass throu h the cleat of one part with a cotiperating ook similarly formed upon the meeting end of the other. It is apparent that these may be easily engaged or disengaged, and serve for suitably connecting three corners of the box. At the fourth corner of the box provision'is made for locking the parts together, as indicated in Figs. 4 and 5, and at the lower right hand corner of Fig. 1. As here shown one of the members, as the member 17, is not permanently clenched and secured to the inside, as is clearly shown at 41 in Fig. 5; that is, apertures may be formed therein in the box end or side within which the part 41 will snugly fit, and after hooking the part 19 on the hook 20 the parts 41 may then be driven into position as indicated. When this is done suitable staples, as 42, or equivalent means, may be driven over the free ends'of the wire member, as indicated in Figs. 4, 5 and 1, serving to firmly attach said wire member to its carrying part, and as firmly locking this corner of the box as are any of the others.

Suitable partition strips 42, 43 are notched together in the usual manner within the box 85 to separate the same. when it is to be used by bottlers, serving to keep the bottles apart, one or both of said members being seated in the side or end of the box to retain them in position and prevent accidental disengagement.

In the preferred construction described the sides and ends of the box are hooked together at the three corners, and as they are brought about the top and the bottom are properly positioned with the locking members thereof, engaging the proper coeperating parts. Also in thus assembling the box the top cleat 23 for connecting the rear end of the cover is properly positioned. The dividing members 42,- 43 are also preferably positioned when thus assembling the box. When this is done the fourth corner of the ends and sides is brought together, the cooperating connecting means there arranged with the legs driven home, as indicated, and the staples 42 placed, serving to firmly lock all the parts together. The cover, when unlocked, may be readily disengaged from the retaining cleat 23at the rear of the box. 110.

When the box is filled the free end 27 of the cover is slipped under the cleat 23, as indi cated in Fig. 3, the ends of the'cleats 2, 3 and 4 rest upon the edge of the box, the front edge of the cover is brought down into position and secured in'any preferred manner,-for illustration as shown in the upper right hand corner of Fig. 3 and of Fig. 6.

As shown in Figs. 7 and 8, the'end of the rod 41 may be extended through the wall, and there looped or flattened and pierced as at 44 to provide a seat for the vertical connecting rod 45, which is positioned inside the box. The aperture 46 is of suitable size to permit the enlarged end on the rod 41 to pass therethrough.

Because of its detachable features, boxes, whether used in the bottling business or otherwise, may readily be knocked down and returned to the shipper, making it possible to be thus used again and again. As stated, neither skilled labor nor special means are necessary either to set up the box or knock it down, for shipping.

Having thus described our invention, it is obvious that various immaterial modifications may be made in the same without departing from the spirit of our invention; hence we do not wish to be understood as limiting ourselves to the exact form, construction, arrangement and combination of parts herein shown and described, or uses mentioned.

What we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. A device of the kind described, comprising end and side members, each provided with transverse cleats near the ends thereof, arranged at right angles to each other and located entirely out of horizontal and vertical alinement with each other, to form a space between the same, in combination with pairs of cooperating wire connecting members, one of which forms a loop or eye, and the other a cooperating hook therefor located within the space formed by the transverse cleats, the free ends of said connecting members being bent and passed through the cleat and its supporting member of the end or side and clenched on the opposite side thereof, thereby fastening the cleat and supporting member together, the free engaging ends extending in position to be engaged one with the other.

2. A device of the kind described, comprising end and side members, each provided with transverse cleats near the ends thereof, arranged at right angles to each other and located entirely out of horizontal and vertical alinement with each other, to form a space between the same, in combination with pairs of cooperating wire connecting members, one of which forms a loop or eye and the other a cooperating hook therefor located within the space formed by the transverse cleats, the free ends of one of said connecting members being bent and passed through the cleat and its supporting member of the end or side and clenched on the opposite side thereof, thereby fastening the cleat and supporting member together, and the free ends of the other member being bent and passed through the cleat and into the support therefor, and staples embracing said ends and binding the same to the cleats, substantially as described.

3. A device of the kind described, comprising end and side members notched together to prevent end movement one upon the other, with transverse cleats at the end thereof and disposed entirely out of horizontal alinement, the edge of one cleat being separated from the surface of the adjacent cleat and forming a pocket, pairs of cooperating wire connecting members, one of which forms a loop or eye, the hook and eye being both disposed within the pocket, the free ends of the wire being bent backward and passing through both the cleat and wall of the box, thereby fastening the cleat and wall together with its inner end firmly secured within the box, and the other member formed with a cooperating hook therein, its free ends also being bent backward and passed through the cleat and wall of the box and firmly connected therein, thereby fastening this cleat and wall together, in combination with a top and bottom in said box, and means for securing said bottom therein.

4. A device of the kind described comprising end and side members, each provided with transverse cleats near the ends thereof, the cleats being arranged at right angles to each other and located entirely out of horizontal and vertical alinement so as to form a pocket protected thereby, in combination with pairs of cooperating wire connecting members, one of which forms a loop or eye and the other a cooperating hook therefor, each of the said members being bent in a diagonal plane to be disposed Within the protecting space formed by the cleats to prevent the hook and eye connection from being mutilated by contact of a crate with a surface.

In testimony whereof, We have hereunto signed our names in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

NICHOLAS O. KENNIKER. FERDINAND A. FRITZE, JR. Witnesses:

JOHN W. HILL, CHARLES I. COBB. 

